Shiftable scaffold apparatus



NOV. 7,, 1939. J p J DYER v 2,178,956

SHIFTABLE SCAFFOLD APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1938 INVENTOR.

' BY 0/0/ Pol Dyer ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 7, 1939 SHIFTABLE SGAFFQLD APPARATUS John P. .l. Dyer, San Diego, Calif. Application October 29, 1938, Serial No. 237,673

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a scaffold apparatus in the form of a self propelled scafiold car adapted to be raised and lowered by its own power and it is adapted to be shifted sidewise on a track for working upon the wall sides of a building for performing operations such as painting, washing windows or similar matter and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a shiftable scaffold apparatus with a scaffold car adapted to raise and lower itself by its own power;

Second, to provide an apparatus of this class with safety means for stopping it when it reaches certain heights;

Third, to provide an adjustable track supported on hooks at the upper edge of the wall for supporting the scafiold car so that it may be shifted sidewise;

Fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class composed of a plurality of track units which may be shifted in position along the wall while the operators are standing on the scaffold car;

Fifth, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the track supports are adapted to support the opposite ends of each section of track and from which the track may be readily removed and replaced, thus providing continuous track laying operation as required;

Sixth, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the operator may shift the scaffold car either sidewise or up and down while positioned on the scaffold car;

. Seventh, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the scaffold car is provided with rollers to permit its shifting on the ground, pavement or the like so that it is readily portable without its cable support;

Eighth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is hung from hooks from the top of the wall and may be shifted from time to time along the full length of the wall; and

Ninth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy to operate, efficient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my apparatus complete shown positioned on a wall shown fragmentarily and showing portions broken away to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a shiftable scaffold car taken from the 5 line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and Fig.

4 is an enlarged view taken from the line 6-5 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar '10 parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings:

The hooks l, track supports 2, track members 3, carriage 6, cable block 5, cable 6, cable drum 1, cable drum supports 8 and 9, scaifold car it, 15 motor ll, motor control switch and brake l2 and safety switch it constitute the principal parts and portions of my shiftable scaffold apparatus. The hook members i are large open hooks of the conventional type used by painters or the lke for supporting scaffolds and are adapted to be hooked over the upper edge of the wall as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and pivotally connected with each of these hooks is a track support 2 by means of a middle substantially central 25 support member 2a providing a flange reenforcing and with extended side members 2b and 20 extending in opposite directions from the member 2a which are connected together at their top ends by means of a flange 2d and provided with 30 downwardly extending portions 2e and 2 and with inwardly turned portions 29 and 2h and each of these sup-ports 2 is provided with a cut away portion at the middle, the members 2g and 2h being cut away at the middle leaving a hole 35 at the lower central side of the member 2. Positioned between the members 2e and 2 are the ends of the members 3. These track members 3 are substantially hollow rectangular shaped in cross section as shown best in Fig. 3 of the draw- 40 ing consisting of the top member 3a, side members 3b and 3c and lower track members 3d and 3e. These lower track members 3d and 3e are slightly longer and are turned downwardly at 3 and extend through the openings in the lower 45 central'side of the member 2 so that the track members cannot slip out of the support 2 but must be raised at the end before they can be shifted longitudinally out of the support 8. Each of the track members 3 is provided in its upper 50 side near its opposite ends with holes 39 in which are positioned pins 3h which extend downwardly into the track member 3 and serve asa stop for the carriage t, it being noted that the carriage 4 is provided with a central block support 4a 55 arranged in the space 31' in the central portion of the track so that this carriage may pass through the support 2 and is held in the support by means of these pins 3h which may be readily removed for permitting the carriage to move in either direction from the support 2 on the tracks 3. The carriage 2 includes four Wheels i-a, mounted on axles 4b and said axles are secured to a central frame member do in which is swivelly mounted the support to which extends centrally from the carriage down through the space 32 and on the lower end of which is secured the block 5. This block 5 is adapted to receive the cable 6 and is provided with a downwardly extending offset member 5a which is adapted to be engaged by the extended arm 5 3a of the safety switch l3 for opening the switch when the car I0 is raised to position so that the end of the lever l3a engages the member 5a, thus depressing the lever 1 5a and opening the switch, thus opening the circuit and stopping the scaffold car in in its upward ascent. Mounted over the block 5 is the cable 6 which is secured at its one end at 6a to the top of the car l8. Then the other end extends downwardly over a sheave Ida and is wound on the drum 7 at its opposite end. This drum l is a conventional cable drum revolubly supported at one end on a support 3 and at its other end on a support 3 and connected with this drum 7 is a gear in which meshes with another gear lb mounted on a shaft to which connects with the conventional reduction gearing in the casing i la in connection with the motor i l, which is also conventional.

Connecting with the shaft of the motor II is motor control switch [2. The supports 8 and 9 and motor H and the connecting parts are supported on the floor Illa of the car II). This floor Ilia is supported by means of a plurality of caster wheels liib for supporting the floor when on the sidewalk, paving or the like. The frame of the car includes four angular corner members we, four cross members Hid which are also angle members and four inclined members we which join near their upper ends and are rigidly secured together by the members lllf. Mounted on the upper side of the floor lila are two guide members Illg which are provided with rollers lilh at their outer ends which are adapted to engage the wall and therefore hold the car a slight distance from the wall and are adjustable by means of hand screws iilz' positioned in slots 37' in the guide members 1 to.

The operation of my shiftable scaffold apparatus is substantially as follows: The hooks are supported in substantially the proper spaced relation from each other together with the supports 2 on the upper edge of the wall and one of the track units 3 is positioned with its opposite end in the support 2 with the ends 3 extending down through the central opening, the carriage t having been placed in one end of one of the track units 3 before it is positioned in the support 2. Then the motor is started which revolves the drum 7 through the reduction gearing and gears la and lb which hoists the car to the position desired and it may be hoisted from time to time as desired. The switch member I2 is a special brake arrangement which holds the shaft and motor in position that it is left in when the motor is stopped. Then the car may be shifted longitudinally along the wall as desired.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope.

of my invention, the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shiftable scaffold apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of spaced track supports each provided with a supporting hook with its extended end arranged to fit over the upper edge of a wall, a plurality of sections of track with their ends adapted to be positioned in said support and secured therein against removal, a carriage mounted on said track and arranged to pass through said support longitudinally at the middle of its lower side, a cable block supported by said carriage, a cable mounted over said block with one end secured to a scaffold car and the other end secured toa drum mounted on said scaffold car, and motor means for revolving said drum.

2. In a shiftable scaffold apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of spaced track supports each provided with a supporting hook with its extended end arranged to fit over the upper edge of a wall, a plurality of sections of track with their ends adapted to be positioned in said support and secured therein against removal, a carriage mounted on said track and arranged to pass through said support longitudinally at the middle of its lower side, a cable block supported by said carriage, a cable mounted over said block with one end secured to a scaffold car and the other end secured to a drum mounted on said scaffold car, motor means for revolving said drum, and means for braking the movement of said drum.

3. In a shiftable scafiold aparatus of the class described, a hook member, a track support pivotally connected with said hook member, said track support including a hollow channel member closed at its lower side except a longitudinal space at the middle of its lower side, and track members hollow and rectangular in cross section with their extended ends adapted to fit in said channel member at one end and provided with a downwardly projecting portion adapted to fit in said longitudinal span and interlocking said track member in said support.

4. In a shiftable scaffold apparatus of the class described, the combination of a hook member with its extended end arranged to fit over the upper edge of a wall, a track support pivotally connected with said hook member, said track support including a hollow channel member closed at its lower side except a longitudinal space at the middle of its lower side, a wall engaging member on said support and extending from one side thereof for holding said support spaced from the wall, and track members hollow and rectangular in cross section with their extended ends adapted to lit in said channel members at one end and provided with downwardly projecting portions adapted to in said longitudinal space and interlocking said track member in said support.

5. In a shiftable scaffold apparatus of the class described, the combination of a hook member with its extended end arranged to fit over the upper edge of a wall, a track support pivotally connected with said hook member, said track support including a hollow channel member closed at its lower side except a longitudinal space at a carriage mounted on said track and arranged to pass through said support longitudinally at the middle of its lower side, a. scaffold car mounted on said carriage and adjustable means mounted on said carriage and extending from one side thereof arranged to engage a wall for holding said scaffold carriage spaced from the wall.

JOHN P. J. DYER. 

